This report is the first ever devoted entirely to education. It explores four main themes: 1) education’s promise; 2) the need to shine a light on learning; 3) how to make schools work for learners; and 4) how to make systems work for learning.

It also highlights how education improves economic opportunities especially for women, explaining that each additional year of schooling typically raises an individual’s earnings by 8–10 percent, with larger increases for women. Additionally, the report explains how improvements in women’s education have been linked to better health outcomes for their children in many countries, and how education reduces teen pregnancy and increases the control that women have over the size of their families.